Alex Pereira continues to assert his dominance in the UFC light heavyweight division after achieving a fourth-round knockout against Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC 307. The event, held at the Delta Center, showcased Pereira’s powerful fighting style, ultimately leaving Rountree unable to continue as he bent over from a combination of punches. Rountree’s face showed significant damage, requiring him to pause his post-fight interview due to a bleeding nose.
In the early rounds, Pereira adopted his typical approach, utilizing his height and power to intimidate his opponents. However, Rountree proved to be a formidable challenger, landing clean shots and utilizing a southpaw stance that made timing difficult for Pereira. Rountree appeared to gain an edge by dropping Pereira momentarily with a hard right in the second round, maintaining a rapid pace that left him gasping for air during the breaks.
Despite the judges scoring the first two rounds in Rountree’s favor, Pereira maintained a calm demeanor and began to take control as the fight progressed. By the third round, Pereira increased the intensity of his attacks, causing visible swelling on Rountree’s face. As the contest continued, Pereira’s striking power overwhelmed Rountree, culminating in a decisive knockout.
Pereira’s victory reinforces his status as a top contender for the title of No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC. He expressed a willingness to move up to heavyweight, although he also enjoys competing in the light heavyweight division.
In the co-main event, Julianna Peña reclaimed the UFC bantamweight title with a contentious split decision win over Raquel Pennington. The decision sparked debate, as Peña executed effective takedowns in the second and third rounds, while Pennington landed significant strikes in the later rounds. Peña’s triumph marks her as the second two-time UFC bantamweight champion in history alongside Amanda Nunes. Peña called for Nunes to emerge from retirement for a trilogy fight, but the likely next challenger appears to be Kayla Harrison, who recently triumphed over Ketlen Vieira and was present at the event.
Other notable victories on the main card included Mario Bautista and Roman Dolidze, who secured wins against Jose Aldo and Kevin Holland, respectively. UFC 307 featured a night of thrilling matchups, cementing its place in the ongoing saga of the UFC championships.